Amanda J Simmons Glass Design

The History of Glass

From our most ancient times, humans have been using glass. Even before man had learned to make glass themselves, they were using obsidian, a natural form of glass created by volcanic eruptions, to make tips for their spears. The history of man-made glass dates back to around 4000 BC, and evidence has been discovered by archaeologists of glass glazes that were used to coat stone beads. The earliest known hollow glass containers discovered by historians date back to 1500 BC, created by covering sand cores with layers of molten glass. From the 1st century BC, glass blowing emerged as the most popular way of forming glass containers, although the glass manufactured at this time had strong colouration as the raw materials contained impurities. Colourless glass was first produced in the 1st century AD, and soon after, ways of colouring the glass through the addition of further ingredients were discovered.

The Early Days of Glass Making in Britain

It was the Romans who brought the skill of glass making to Britain, however as they closely guarded the secrets surrounding their technology and skills, the ability to make glass did not spread through the Middle East and Europe until the Roman Empire had fallen. The Venetians acquired a reputation for their impressive artistic ability and technical skill for producing glass bottles, and many of Venice's most talented craftsmen moved to other locations in Europe where they set up their own glassworks. In parts of Northern Britain, and specifically around Wearmouth and Jarrow, evidence has been found of a glass industry that dates back to 680 AD, and evidence has also been discovered of a strong glass industry that dates back to the 13th century in parts of Sussex, Surrey and the Weald.

Developments in British Glass Making

One of the greatest milestones in British glass making history is George Ravenscroft's invention of lead crystal glass. He developed this new form of glass while trying to counter the clouding effect that often occurred when blowing glass through adding lead to the ingredients. Lead crystal glass is easier to decorate and softer than traditional glass and, as it has a higher refractive index, it is even more attractive and brilliant, making it especially useful in the optical industry. Thanks to Ravenscroft's lead crystal glass, we now have such inventions as microscopes, astronomical telescopes and optical lenses. When the Excise Act was repealed in 1845, the glass industry that we know today began to develop in Britain thanks to the reduction in the taxation which had once been enforced on glass. For the Great Exhibition of 1851, Joseph Paxton created the Crystal Palace, and this was a landmark moment in the use of glass to construct buildings. It was this iconic structure that encouraged builders to use glass when designing domestic, horticultural and public architecture. It was also at this time that the techniques used to manufacture glass improved thanks to improvements in technology and scientific advancements. Glass making had developed by 1887 from the traditional method of mouth blowing into a semi-automatic process thanks to Ashley's innovative machine that could produce 200 bottles in an hour. This invention was followed up in 1907 when Michael Owens developed a fully automated machine which was used in America to make 2500 bottles per hour. During the 1st World War, Britain could no longer access its traditional glass suppliers, so glass moved into the scientific sector rather than the artistic one, and this led to the industry of glass making as we know it today.

Today's Glass Manufacturing Industry

The glass making industry of today is modern and uses the latest technology to operate competitively within a global market that relies on high levels of design, service and quality. Contemporary glass plants can manufacture millions of glass containers daily in numerous colours, with clear, brown and green being the most common. Glass features heavily in our everyday lives, and we find it everywhere in our cars, our homes, in restaurants and shops. Many foods and drinks are packaged in glass, as are cosmetics and medicines. As we become more concerned about protecting the environment, glass has become even more important as it can be recycled easily. Rather than sending used glass products to landfill, it can be melted down and used again, reducing the need to quarry more raw materials and saving the Earth's precious resources. Many new manufacturing processes and applications are now being created that combine glass with other materials. One example of this is optical fibres, which use glass that is coated with plastic. Glass is also being used more frequently in the medical and biological industries and work is currently underway to develop materials like thermochromic, electrochromic and photochromic glasses all of which respond to external stimuli for various applications.